This application claims the priority of German Patent Document No. 100 45 589.1, Sep. 15, 2000, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a sliding door for a motor vehicle which is arranged in use on a side wall of a body of the motor vehicle and interacts with a guide rail mounted on the side wall of the vehicle body by way of a running device, a safety device being provided for aiding in opening of the sliding door after an accident-caused deformation of the vehicle body.
Sliding doors on motor vehicles require relatively little space for the opening movement because, during the opening, they are moved at a relatively short distance from the corresponding vehicle body walls. This simplifies not only the parking but also the loading and unloading of the motor vehicles equipped with such doors. However, it is important for safety reasons that the respective sliding door can also be opened largely without any problem after an accident-caused vehicle body deformation so that access to the passenger and cargo space of the motor vehicle is ensured.
A sliding door for a passenger car is discussed in German Patent Document DE-PS 1 780 577 (corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 3,605,338) which is equipped with swivelling levers and slide rails. This sliding door is taken into account according to the description of the state of the art of German Patent Document DE 34 14 890 A1 (corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 4,703,585). In this case, reference is made to the safety factor; specifically, that a door of this construction can be opened rapidly and without any problem after an accident. The technical solution of the vehicle door according to the above-mentioned German Patent Document DE 34 14 890 A1 is characterized in that it basically operates as a sliding door but, under special circumstances, for example, after an accident, it operates as a swivelling door. For this purpose, particularly sophisticated additional constructive measures are required which promote the endeavor to represent simple weight-reducing and clear sliding door concepts.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a sliding door for a motor vehicle which, while it has a good opening and closing function, can also easily be opened after a deformation of the body of the motor vehicle caused, for example, by an accident.
According to the invention, this object is achieved by providing a sliding door for a motor vehicle which is arranged in use on a side wall of a body of the motor vehicle and interacts with a guide rail mounted on the side wall of the vehicle body, by way of a running device, a safety device being provided for aiding in opening of the sliding door after an accident-caused deformation of the vehicle body, wherein the safety device is constructed such that, after a deformation affecting the side wall of the vehicle body, a movement of the running device in the guide rail can be implemented for opening the sliding door.
Advantageous further features of preferred embodiments of the invention are described herein and in the claims.
Important advantages achieved by means of the invention are that the sliding door, on the one hand, because of the running device and the guide rail, can be opened and closed in an appropriate manner with respect to its function and, on the other hand, because of the safety device, can also be opened in a targeted manner if the body of the motor vehicle, for example, because of an accident, is deformed specifically in the area of the guide rail. The safety device is preferably formed by a fastening section and a guiding section of the guide rail between which a break-off device is formed which can be provided in a simple manner. This break-off device can be represented by break-off webs which connect the fastening section with the guiding section. For forming these break-off webs, slot breakthroughs, which extend in the longitudinal direction of the guide rail, are suitable between the fastening section and the guiding section. Finally, the endeavored function of the safety device will be achieved according to certain preferred embodiments, particularly if it extends only along a partial range of the overall length of the guide rail.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.